Eminem is not the only Detroit celeb making his acting debut in the semi-autobiographic film, 8 Mile. Eminem's rhyme partner, PROOF, the only member of hip-hop group D12 to appear in the film plays Lil' Tic. If you've seen the film, Lil' Tic is the rapper who makes Rabbit (Eminem's character), choke in the MC battle. While Proof plays MC extraordinaire, Mekhi Phifer portrays Proof's real life persona in the film, which took in $54.5 million in its first week making it the second best opening ever for an R-Rated film. Fresh off the success of the 8 Mile film and soundtrack, PROOF has just completed a 6-song vinyl EP, Electric Coolaid - Acid Testing due out December 17, 2002. The EP which features MC Breed on the lead single, "One - Two" and Journalist and Mu on "Broken" will build momentum for his solo debut album titled, Searching 4 Jerry Garcia which features Eminem, D12 and Shady Record's new artist, Obie Trice. Proof aka Big Proof aka Derty Harry, an amazing freestyler and winner of Source Magazine's 1999 Freestyling Competition is one of Detroit's wildest wordsmith. Word got around about the new kid on the block and it was a matter of time before Proof, Detroit's most notorious MC and host of the emcee battles at Maurice Malones' Hip Hop Shop would meet the rapper who later become known to the world as Slim Shady. New to the local hip-hop scene, Proof pushed Eminem into the battles, creating the street buzz needed for Eminem to secure a record deal with Aftermath/Interscope Records. But Eminem would not travel the mile alone, the relationship developed at The Hip Hop Shop between Proof, Eminem, Kon Artis, Bizarre, Kuniva, and Swift laid the foundation for what became D12. Their multi-platinum album (nearly 4 million albums sold worldwide), Devil's Night, which spawned the controversial single "Purple Pills," was released on Eminem's Shady Records/Interscope imprint last year. Searching 4 Jerry Garcia is scheduled to hit stores on February 18, 2003. It will be released through Proof's label, I.F. Records distributed by AMC - American Music Corp. The first 250,000 people to purchase the album, Searching 4 Jerry Garcia, will receive Electric Coolaid - Acid Testing as a bonus CD. The 6 track EP, Electric Coolaid - Acid Testing will be available only on vinyl and features six songs two sides: Side L - "Broken" featuring Journalist & Mu, "Derty Promo," "One, Two" featuring MC Breed; Side SD - "Derty Harry," and "X-Fam" featuring Marv 1, J-Hill, and Bareda, and "Places I've Been" featuring J-Hill. Some of the songs titles on the album are, "Janis Joplin," "Kurt Cobain," "Billie Holiday," "Neil Armstrong" and "72nd & Central" which he identifies with John Lennon. Visit Proof's official site www.bigproof.com and related sites I.F. Records at www.wutif.com, www.D12world.com , and www.RapBasement.com